http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: “Lothian Buses chief wants extended bus lane hours to fight congestion” en Thu, 21 May 2026 15:07:25 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271172 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 15:48:23 +0000 crowriver 271172@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Is that the same ex-Cllr Cardownie who is/was a partner in a city taxi/private hire firm? </p> <p>Vested interest much?</p> <p>This thread may be of interest:</p> <p><a href="http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7270" rel="nofollow">http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7270</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271164 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 15:15:10 +0000 gembo 271164@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Foxy needs to pack his sound system in a big boot.</p> <p>Gembo: Cannae hear ye Foxy, turn it on</p> <p>Foxy: Sorry sir it wears out the batteries if I put it on </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271162 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 15:03:53 +0000 I were right about that saddle 271162@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em> He was labour then SNP etc</em></p> <p>Wikipedia claims he was SSP first. Foxy rolls in a big Merc as you know. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271160 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 15:00:22 +0000 gembo 271160@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I thought Steve cardownie was pro bus. He voted agin the trams citing his preference for buses. Now he is all for motors. He does change his mind a bit, e,.g. He was labour then SNP etc </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271153 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 14:14:33 +0000 Ed1 271153@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The bus also competes with walking many of the trips may be walks taken of the road or some cycle journeys. Also the bus hops may be recorded as separate trips when a car journey as one trip, if get a bus to Leith have to change bus so counts as 2 bus trips yet would be one car trip. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271143 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 11:39:07 +0000 I were right about that saddle 271143@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>He’s ex.</em></p> <p>Good. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271142 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 11:22:52 +0000 Morningsider 271142@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There are 1385km of roads in Edinburgh. The bus lane network is 65km long. Lothian buses has a fleet of 721 vehicles, while there are 163,500 cars and vans licensed in the city. 121,000,000 trips were made on Lothian Buses in 2015. Given average Scottish car occupancy of 1.5 people, that's 80.7 million car trips taken off the city's roads in a year.</p> <p>If buses were to truly pay the price for their impact on congestion, the bus lane network would have to be extended to many times its current length and hours of operation extended. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271139 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 11:14:14 +0000 chdot 271139@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>He’s ex. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271138 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 11:12:41 +0000 I were right about that saddle 271138@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Why are councilors writing articles without disclosing that they are councilors? Surely of some relevance? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271137 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 11:07:07 +0000 chdot 271137@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My bold.</p> <p>“</p> <p>Bus lane operation times were reduced only a couple of years ago after it was demonstrated that for long periods during the day they were almost devoid of buses, yet cars and lorries were being held up in traffic jams in the adjacent lanes. </p> <p>Motorists are citizens too and their views have to be taken into account. It is all very well for Mr Hall to seek to advance his company’s interests but not at the expense of people who choose not to use public transport and <strong>prefer to use their cars</strong>. </p> <p><strong>That is their right</strong> and if the desired aim is to reduce car use then motorists should be persuaded of the benefits and not forced to use public transport by making their lives more difficult.</p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinion/steve-cardownie-bus-lane-hours-extension-not-the-route-to-go-1-4649632" rel="nofollow">https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinion/steve-cardownie-bus-lane-hours-extension-not-the-route-to-go-1-4649632</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271129 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 09:42:54 +0000 gembo 271129@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>When we go down south we use the toll road to avoid Birmingham. Costs £5.80 roads are empty though seeds are fierce. The actual tollroad is quite short but it cuts a corner and the road after it heading south east always seems like part of the cost. Mr A would you pay? Or is it every driver's right to drive where they like for free. E.g. Straight to the traffic jam? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271126 Wed, 03 Jan 2018 09:15:25 +0000 gibbo 271126@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Mr Allan writes: "yet another ban on our freedoms"...</em></p> <p>"Our" doesn't seem to include people who use public transport.</p> <p>Drivers don't seem to understand that a reduction in vehicles on the road would make driving better.</p> <p>So, unless the freedom you most care about is the freedom to be stuck in a traffic jam ... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271124 Tue, 02 Jan 2018 22:01:51 +0000 crowriver 271124@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Mr Allan writes: "yet another ban on our freedoms"...</p> <p>I smell the blood of a Daily Mail reading, Brexit voting, Tory sympathiser (or even party member). Next he'll be frothing about the Nanny State and punitive tax rises for higher earners... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271120 Tue, 02 Jan 2018 20:41:07 +0000 Frenchy 271120@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>The sheer number of users cause their own congestion in large parts of the city centre.</em></p> <p>He's so (accidentally) close to being right he should be able to taste it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271115 Tue, 02 Jan 2018 20:08:30 +0000 gembo 271115@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>APB APB</p> <p>mr Allan of hopper gardens newcraighall appears to have lost his faculties </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271113 Tue, 02 Jan 2018 20:04:05 +0000 Murun Buchstansangur 271113@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I see, of course it's all the fault of everyone except drivers.</p> <p>Mr Allan better hope politicians ignore the ravings of his own ilk and improve public transport or he'll end up <em>deeply</em> regretting that purchase of a newbuild box on the very outskirts of town next to a humungous retail park. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-271111 Tue, 02 Jan 2018 19:49:33 +0000 chdot 271111@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/letters-city-buses-should-share-the-blame-for-gridlock-1-4652004" rel="nofollow">https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/letters-city-buses-should-share-the-blame-for-gridlock-1-4652004</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-270947 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 21:22:52 +0000 hunnymonster 270947@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Making the bus lanes 7am to 7pm, 7 days per week would be a good thing. At the last bus lane consultation CEC solicited views when they reduced the operating hours... Flying in the face of their own presumption in favour of public transport &amp; active travel... Made not a jot of difference between by having the policy nor the consultation.</p> <p>Even carmageddon Glasgow operates bus lanes 7-7/7! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-270937 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 19:56:29 +0000 gembo 270937@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@nelly, bus lane violation rarely enforced. Except last time when the income generated from just five roads was quite sizeable.</p> <p>For me single occupant vehicles comprise almost all rush hour journeys. I don't mind drivers doing this but they should be made to pay for this privilege via congestion charge. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-270933 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 17:20:59 +0000 chdot 270933@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="https://twitter.com/spokeslothian/status/946760938023215104" rel="nofollow">https://twitter.com/spokeslothian/status/946760938023215104</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-270932 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 17:13:46 +0000 neddie 270932@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>IMO, the obvious first step would be to prevent cross-town journeys by private motors. AKA filtered permeability. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-270923 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 13:56:01 +0000 chdot 270923@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“At least she seems to understand the equation: that to encourage bus use, buses have to be faster than cars.”</p> <p>That’ll never happen <em>unless</em> there are more places cars can’t go (like Princes Street). </p> <p>“The question is whether she has the willingness and ability to do something about it.”</p> <p>Indeed.</p> <p>There are other factors that would make a difference to (encouraging more) people to use buses Oyster-style payment and consequently bus transfer without buying a new ticket. LB always says ‘most people use DayTickets or weekly/monthly passes. Perhaps but still no reason for not having a fast/easy payment method.</p> <p>“The obvious first step would be a congestion charge, but that would violate the council's belief that all drivers should be allowed to drive on any road, in any direction, at any time, free of charge.” </p> <p>Not really the Council’s belief (as such). Most politicians fear upsetting motorists. Stuck with the outdated notions which seem to be ‘only motorists vote’ and ‘voters care about driving more than anything else’.</p> <p>But really it’s an issue that SG should just get on with - with the conviction that’s behind minimum alcohol pricing and (previously) smoking bans. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-270918 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 13:15:47 +0000 gibbo 270918@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>MacInnes:</p> <p><em>"To reduce congestion we need to get more people to choose public transport as the better option – for themselves, for the city and for those who need to move quickly and easily on our roads."</em></p> <p>At least she seems to understand the equation: that to encourage bus use, buses have to be faster than cars.</p> <p>The question is whether she has the willingness and ability to do something about it.</p> <p>The obvious first step would be a congestion charge, but that would violate the council's belief that all drivers should be allowed to drive on any road, in any direction, at any time, free of charge. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-270915 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 12:07:44 +0000 ejstubbs 270915@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I have never understood why red routes have parking &amp; loading spaces marked in them. Seems to completely undermine the principle of having a stretch of road that no-one is allowed to obstruct. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-270912 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 11:44:10 +0000 jonty 270912@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I would argue that in many cases parking in bus lanes is worse than driving in them. At least driving cars move. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-270910 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 10:29:00 +0000 Nelly 270910@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Perhaps the council should return to fining drivers of cars in bus lanes?"</p> <p>Does this not happen now? Or is it only the lanes with cameras that are "policed"?</p> <p>Cars parked in bus lanes should be destroyed, IMO :-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-270904 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 08:57:08 +0000 gembo 270904@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Evening rush hour 1pm? Maybe on a Friday?</p> <p>However, very good that the MD of LB is sayings this.</p> <p>Perhaps the council should return to fining drivers of cars in bus lanes? It is a big income generator but a potential vote loser of course. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18484#post-270901 Fri, 29 Dec 2017 08:40:50 +0000 chdot 270901@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“</p> <p>Edinburgh is being strangled by a “huge circle of congestion”, the head of its main bus operator has warned council leaders. </p> <p>Lothian Buses managing director Richard Hall said 
buses must be given greater priority to help ease the gridlock. </p> <p>He said the capital’s evening rush hour was now starting as early as 1pm and lasting up to six hours.</p> <p>“</p> <p><a href="https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/lothian-buses-chief-wants-extended-bus-lane-hours-to-fight-congestion-1-4649273" rel="nofollow">https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/lothian-buses-chief-wants-extended-bus-lane-hours-to-fight-congestion-1-4649273</a></p> <p>Think the last paragraph overstates the case, but good that LB wants more bus priority, which <em>should</em> improve things for people on bikes.</p> <p>Presume they will be against the proposal to remove lane from Leith Street. </p>